Starting in 2009, Army-Navy to be last regular-season game of the year

college football

Starting next season, the annual Army-Navy football game will become the last regular-season college football game each year. For the first time since 1985, it will take place on the second Saturday in December, so as not to conflict with the conference championship games scheduled for the first Saturday.

Next season's Army-Navy game is scheduled to take place at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

"By moving it a week, it really puts it in prime time," Navy athletic director Chet Gladchuk said yesterday. "It will be a 2:30 kickoff. It will be a stand-alone event with a one-week buildup. It just gives it a pedestal, probably next to the national championship game or the Super Bowl, it's right there.

"Every college football junkie is looking for one more game. That's the game."

The academies also announced yesterday that they have extended their contract with CBS to televise the game through 2018.

Gladchuk said discussions on a new agreement had been under way for "three or four months.

"Their enthusiasm for this game and what it means and what it represents, and also their clear ambition not to lose it to another network, really worked to our benefit," Gladchuk said. "To solidify it for the next 10 years is pretty exciting."